Allison Williams Won’t Comply With Vaccine Mandate, Exits ESPN
“I am also so morally and ethically not aligned with this. And I’ve had to really dig deep and analyze my values and my morals, and ultimately I need to put them first.”
ESPN is losing a college football reporter. Allison Williams took to Instagram on Saturday to tell her fans and followers that she will not be returning to the network. She has chosen not to receive the Covid-19 vaccine and that will mean her employment will end next week.
Last month, Williams acknowledged that she would not be on the sidelines for ESPN this season. She was hesitant to get the Covid-19 vaccine because she was concerned about fertility-related side effects. She and her husband are trying for a second child.
Allison Williams is far from the first woman to express concern about the effects the vaccine would have on their ability to have children. In her post, she said she received stories from women who have seen side effect from taking the vaccine and women who have not According to the CDC, there is no evidence that the Covid- 19 vaccine has any effect on fertility, but it is a narrative that has not died.
In her post, Williams says ultimately, it is not a desire to remain unvaccinated that has her willing to lose her job. She objects to being told what to do with her body by her employer.
“I am also so morally and ethically not aligned with this. And I’ve had to really dig deep and analyze my values and my morals, and ultimately I need to put them first,” she said. “And the irony in all this is that a lot of these same values and morals that I hold dear are what made me a really good employee, what helped with the success that I’m able to have in my career.”
According to Allison Williams, in April, Disney sent a memo to all employees saying that the company’s position was that the vaccine was the best way forward for the country. The memo also said that the company respected that receiving the vaccine was a personal decision.
Williams says she could not begin to understand all of the pressures that Disney faced as a company. She respects that the corporate position had to change. She also noted that she respected the people that believed getting vaccinated was about a responsibility to others. She does not see it that way. She also noted that she is not alone.
“I know I’m not the only one walking away from a career they love, a profession that is a passion. And so many people that are in the same situation as me, serving society and benefiting this country in ways I could never do, they are nurses, they are teachers, they are doctors, they are police officers, and first responders, and they are most importantly our military, and pilots. And they too are choosing to put their beliefs first. And I just want you all to know I stand with you.”
ESPN first mandated the Covid-19 vaccine for anyone working games on location this season and as Allison Williams notes, eventually mandated it for all employees.
She says she does not know what her future holds. That may largely depend on how long the Covid pandemic lasts. Many networks have vaccine mandates in place. FOX Sports, which does not, currently requires daily testing for unvaccinated employees and has additional requirements in place for those working live events according to Awful Announcing.
Dan Patrick: NBC Created ‘Something That Was Brilliant’ With Flex Scheduling
“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”
Roger Goodell wants flex scheduling to come to Prime Video’s ThursdayNight Football package. It could happen this season, but we won’t know for sure until May after league owners decided to table a vote on the proposal. On Wednesday, FOX Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick joined the chorus of critics calling it a bad idea.
Patrick said that the league always prioritizes revenue. If it were thinking about the fans, this isn’t something that would even be discussed.
The idea of flex scheduling was first introduced for NBC’s Sunday Night Football package in 2006. The goal was to make sure the prime time TV package could deliver high quality games every week.
“NBC did something that was brilliant where they were able to flex Sunday night games,” Patrick said. “Everyone wanted it.”
While the fate of flex scheduling for Thursdays remains up in the air, we do know that flex scheduling is coming to Monday Night Football on ESPN this season. Patrick, who worked for NBC when the practice was introduced, said that it always took care of one broadcast partner by screwing others.
“Networks were so upset that NBC would go ‘Hey, you know what? We’re gonna take that game and we’re gonna have it on Sunday night.’ Then FOX and CBS would be scrambling there.”
Dan Patrick suggested that perhaps Amazon’s Prime Video doesn’t deserve the same treatment as NBC or ESPN. Far fewer people watch the Thursday night game than any other primetime NFL contest.
Whether or not flex scheduling comes to Thursday Night Football, Patrick says it does not guarantee to change the package’s reputation for delivering largely unappealing games.
“I’ve long said it’s crazy to say you have to play Sunday and then turn around and play Thursday and we’d always go ‘Man, these Thursday games aren’t good,’” he concluded. “Well, was it the matchup or just the quality of play?”
106.7 The Fan has announced it has reached a multi-year extension with the Washington Nationals to remain as the MLB club’s radio flagship.
Nationals fans will continue to hear game broadcasts on the station, and those living inside the club’s broadcast territory will be able to stream the radio broadcasts on the Audacy app.
“Opening Day is finally here and we’re thrilled to celebrate the return of baseball season by extending our partnership with the Washington Nationals,” said Audacy Washington D.C. Senior Vice President and Market Manager Ivy Savoy-Smith. “We’re looking forward to continuing to serve as the home for everything Nats for the foreseeable future and give the team’s fans a front row seat to the action on the field and top storylines throughout the year.”
The Nationals have called 106.7 The Fan home since the 2011 season. Beyond game broadcasts, the station will welcome Nationals President of Baseball Operations and General Manager Mike Rizzo to The Sports Junkies every Wednesday at 9:00 AM throughout the season. The station will also air segments titled “Nats Insider”, hosted by broadcaster Dan Kolko that feature player interviews and features. Those segments will air all along the Nationals Radio Network.
“We couldn’t be happier to partner with Audacy in bringing Nationals fans even more of the interviews and exclusive access they love,” said Lerner Sports Group COO Alan H. Gottlieb. “From in-depth interviews with execs and top players, to off-the-field profiles and more Spanish and English bilingual content than ever before, Audacy offers a comprehensive look at our ball club from all angles.”
“He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”
Longtime 97.1 The Fan Vice President and Market Manager Todd Markiewicz has announced he is leaving the sports radio station.
Markiewicz has been named the President of the 1870 Society, a Name, Image, and Likeness collective working with Ohio State athletics and Learfield to devise NIL strategy, fundraising, and logistics.
In an internal memo, Tegna Columbus President and General Manager John Cardenas credited Markiewicz for helping to establish the brand as “the powerhouse sports station in the country. He has left an indelible mark in the Columbus market and within the sports/talk radio world by building The Fan with excellent programming, dominant ratings, and overall market share.”
Markiewicz joined the station in 2010. Under his leadership, 97.1 The Fan has routinely ranked as the highest-rated station in the Columbus market.
His final day with the station will be Friday, May 26th.
Garrett Searight is the Editor of Barrett Sports Media and Barrett News Media. He previously was the Program Director and Afternoon Co-Host on 93.1 The Fan in Lima, OH. He is also a play-by-play announcer for TV and Radio broadcasts in Western Ohio. Reach him at garrettsearight@gmail.com.
